HbA1c comparison and diagnostic efficacy analysis of multi center different glycosylated hemoglobin detection systems / 中华预防医学杂志

Objective: Compare and analyze the results of the domestic Lanyi AH600 glycated hemoglobin analyzer and other different detection systems to understand the comparability of the detection results of different detectors, and establish the best cut point of Lanyi AH600 determination of haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) in the diagnosis of diabetes. Methods: Multi center cohort study was adopted. The clinical laboratory departments of 18 medical institutions independently collected test samples from their respective hospitals from March to April 2022, and independently completed comparative analysis of the evaluated instrument (Lanyi AH600) and the reference instrument HbA1c. The reference instruments include four different brands of glycosylated hemoglobin meters, including Arkray, Bio-Rad, DOSOH, and Huizhong. Scatter plot was used to calculate the correlation between the results of different detection systems, and the regression equation was calculated. The consistency analysis between the results of different detection systems was evaluated by Bland Altman method. Consistency judgment principles: (1) When the 95% limits of agreement (95% LoA) of the measurement difference was within 0.4% HbA1c and the measurement score was≥80 points, the comparison consistency was good; (2) When the measurement difference of 95% LoA exceeded 0.4% HbA1c, and the measurement score was≥80 points, the comparison consistency was relatively good; (3) The measurement score was less than 80 points, the comparison consistency was poor. The difference between the results of different detection systems was tested by paired sample T test or Wilcoxon paired sign rank sum test; The best cut-off point of diabetes was analyzed by receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC). Results: The correlation coefficient R2 of results between Lanyi AH600 and the reference instrument in 16 hospitals is≥0.99; The Bland Altman consistency analysis showed that the difference of 95% LoA in Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital in Jiangsu Province (reference instrument: Arkray HA8180) was -0.486%-0.325%, and the measurement score was 94.6 points (473/500); The difference of 95% LoA in the Tibetan Traditional Medical Hospital of TAR (reference instrument: Bio-Rad Variant II) was -0.727%-0.612%, and the measurement score was 89.8 points; The difference of 95% LoA in the People's Hospital of Chongqing Liang Jiang New Area (reference instrument: Huizhong MQ-2000PT) was -0.231%-0.461%, and the measurement score was 96.6 points; The difference of 95% LoA in the Taihe Hospital of traditional Chinese Medicine in Anhui Province (reference instrument: Huizhong MQ-2000PT) was -0.469%-0.479%, and the measurement score was 91.9 points. The other 14 hospitals, Lanyi AH600, were compared with 4 reference instrument brands, the difference of 95% LoA was less than 0.4% HbA1c, and the scores were all greater than 95 points. The results of paired sample T test or Wilcoxon paired sign rank sum test showed that there was no statistically significant difference between Lanyi AH600 and the reference instrument Arkray HA8180 (Z=1.665,P=0.096), with no statistical difference. The mean difference between the measured values of the two instruments was 0.004%. The comparison data of Lanyi AH600 and the reference instrument of all other institutions had significant differences (all P<0.001), however, it was necessary to consider whether it was within the clinical acceptable range in combination with the results of the Bland-Altman consistency analysis. The ROC curve of HbA1c detected by Lanyi AH600 in 985 patients with diabetes and 3 423 patients with non-diabetes was analyzed, the area under curve (AUC) was 0.877, the standard error was 0.007, and the 95% confidence interval 95%CI was (0.864, 0.891), which was statistically significant (P<0.001). The maximum value of Youden index was 0.634, and the corresponding HbA1c cut point was 6.235%. The sensitivity and specificity of diabetes diagnosis were 76.2% and 87.2%, respectively. Conclusion: Among the hospitals and instruments currently included in this study, among these four hospitals included Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital in Jiangsu Province (reference instrument: Arkray HA8180), Tibetan Traditional Medical Hospital of TAR (reference instrument: Bio-Rad Variant Ⅱ), the People's Hospital of Chongqing Liang Jiang New Area (reference instrument: Huizhong MQ-2000PT), and the Taihe Hospital of traditional Chinese Medicine in Anhui Province (reference instrument: Huizhong MQ-2000PT), the comparison between Lanyi AH600 and the reference instruments showed relatively good consistency, while the other 14 hospitals involved four different brands of reference instruments: Arkray, Bio-Rad, DOSOH, and Huizhong, Lanyi AH600 had good consistency with its comparison. The best cut point of the domestic Lanyi AH600 for detecting HbA1c in the diagnosis of diabetes is 6.235%.

Value of fractional flow reserve derived from coronary computed tomographic angiography and plaque quantitative analysis in predicting adverse outcomes of non-obstructive coronary heart disease / 中华危重病急救医学

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the value of coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA)-based fractional flow reserve (CT-FFR) and plaque quantitative analysis in predicting adverse outcomes in patients with non-obstructive coronary heart disease (CAD).@*METHODS@#Clinical data of patients with non-obstructive CAD who underwent CCTA at the Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University from March 2014 to March 2018 were retrospectively analyzed and followed up, and the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) was recorded. The patients were divided into MACE and non-MACE groups according to the occurrence of MACE. The clinical data, CCTA plaque characteristics including plaque length, stenosis degree, minimum lumen area, total plaque volume, non-calcified plaque volume, calcified plaque volume, plaque burden (PB) and remodelling index (RI), and CT-FFR were compared between the two groups. Multivaritate Cox proportional risk model was used to evaluate the relationship between clinical factors, CCTA parameters and MACE. The receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC curve) was used to assess the predictive power of outcome prediction model based on different CCTA parameters.@*RESULTS@#Finally 217 patients were included, of which 43 (19.8%) had MACE and 174 (80.2%) did not. The median follow-up interval was 24 (16, 30) months. The CCTA showed that patients in the MACE group had more severe stenosis than that in the non-MACE group [(44.3±3.8)% vs. (39.5±2.5)%], larger total plaque volume and non-calcified plaque volume [total plaque volume (mm3): 275.1 (197.1, 376.9), non-calcified plaque volume (mm3): 161.5 (114.5, 307.8) vs. 117.9 (77.7, 185.5)], PB and RI were larger [PB: 50.2% (42.1%, 54.8%) vs. 45.1% (38.2%, 51.7%), RI: 1.19 (0.93, 1.29) vs. 1.03 (0.90, 1.22)], CT-FFR value was lower [0.85 (0.80, 0.88) vs. 0.92 (0.87, 0.97)], and the differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). Cox regression analysis showed that non-calcified plaques volume [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.005. 95% confidence interval (95%CI) was 1.025-4.866], PB ≥ 50% (HR = 3.146, 95%CI was 1.443-6.906), RI ≥ 1.10 (HR = 2.223, 95%CI was 1.002-1.009) and CT-FFR ≤ 0.87 (HR = 2.615, 95%CI was 1.016-6.732) were independent predictors of MACE (all P < 0.05). The model based on CCTA stenosis degree+CT-FFR+quantitative plaque characteristics (including non-calcified plaque volume, RI, PB) [area under the ROC curve (AUC) = 0.91, 95%CI was 0.87-0.95] had significantly better predictive efficacy for adverse outcomes than the model based on CCTA stenosis degree (AUC = 0.63, 95%CI was 0.54-0.71) and the model based on CCTA stenosis degree+CT-FFR (AUC = 0.71, 95%CI was 0.63-0.79; both P < 0.01).@*CONCLUSIONS@#CT-FFR and plaque quantitative analysis based on CCTA are helpful in predicting adverse outcomes in patients with non-obstructive CAD. Non-calcified plaque volume, RI, PB and CT-FFR are important predictors of MACE. Compared with the prediction model based on stenosis degree and CT-FFR, the combined plaque quantitative index can significantly improve the prediction efficiency of adverse outcomes in patients with non-obstructive CAD.

Early effectiveness of a new minimally invasive plate in treatment of varus-type ankle arthritis / 中国修复重建外科杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the early effectiveness of a new minimally invasive plate in the treatment of varus-type ankle arthritis.@*METHODS@#A clinical data of 15 patients with varus-type ankle arthritis who met the selection criteria between March 2021 and October 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. All the patients were treated with medial open-wedge supramalleolar osteotomy and fibular osteotomy. The osteotomies were fixed with the new minimally invasive plate. There were 7 males and 8 females with an average age of 49.8 years (range, 16-71 years). The causes of ankle arthritis included post-fracture deformity in 1 case, sprain in 8 cases, and acquired clubfoot in 1 case; and 5 cases were without obvious factors. The disease duration ranged from 1 to 12 years, with an average of 4.1 years. Comparisons were made between pre-operation and the last follow-up in the Takakura staging, the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot score, foot function index (FFI), visual analogue scale (VAS) score, tibial anterior surface angle (TAS), tibial lateral surface angle (TLS), and talar tilt (TT).@*RESULTS@#All incisions healed by first intention. All patients were followed up 7-18 months (mean, 12.8 months). At last follow-up, the AOFAS ankle-hindfoot score, FFI, VAS score, and Takakura staging significantly improved when compared with the preoperative ones ( P<0.05). X-ray films showed that the osteotomy healed at 3 months after operation. At last follow-up, TAS significantly increased and TT decreased when compared with the preoperative ones ( P<0.05), and the difference in TLS between pre- and post-operation was not significant ( P>0.05). Complications included 1 case of intraoperative screw breakage and 2 cases of nerve injury of the affected foot. None of the patients complained of significant discomfort at the plate placement during follow-up, and no loosening of the internal fixator occurred. Eleven patients were very satisfied with the effeectiveness, while 4 were relatively satisfied.@*CONCLUSION@#The new minimally invasive plate for the varus-type ankle arthritis has good early effectiveness in relieving ankle pain, correcting deformity, improving limb alignment and ankle function, and reducing the incidence of postoperative incisional complications.

Prenatal diagnosis and genetic analysis of two cases of Turner syndrome due to isodicentric Xp11.22 / 中华医学遗传学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the genetic characteristics of idic(X)(p11.22) in Turner syndrome (TS).@*METHODS@#Two fetuses suspected for sex chromosome abnormalities or ultrasound abnormalities were selected from Chengdu Women's and Children's Central Hospital in October 2020 and June 2020, and amniotic fluid samples were collected for G-banded chromosomal karyotyping analysis, chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA), and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH).@*RESULTS@#The two fetuses were respectively found to have a karyotype of 45,X[47]/46,X,psu idic(X)(p11.2)[53] and 46,X,psu idic(X)(p11.2). CMA found that both had deletions in the Xp22.33p11.22 region and duplications in the p11.22q28 region. FISH showed that the centromeres in both fetuses had located on an isochromosome.@*CONCLUSION@#The combination of karyotyping analysis, FISH, and CMA is useful for the delineation of complex structural chromosomal aberrations. High-resolution CMA can accurately identify chromosomal breakpoints, which can provide a clue for elucidating the mechanism of chromosomal breakage and rearrangement.

Establishment of a long-term operation mechanism for sustainable development of united OPO / 器官移植

Human Organ Procurement Organization (OPO) is an indispensable part of organ donation. In recent years, with rapid development of organ donation in China, united OPO has been established based on China's national conditions and establishment of global OPO. This innovative model serves as favorable supplement and exploration for the development of OPO, promoting the development of organ donation to enter a new stage. However, there are still some shortcomings during the process of development. Efforts should be made to catch up with the development of organ donation, aim at long-term goals, and promote development in a targeted manner. In this article, by analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of united OPO in the development of organ donation, the establishment of a long-term operation mechanism of united OPO was analyzed from policy support, talent training, technology upgrading, quality control, ethical review, financial management and full-course supervision, aiming to provide reference for further development of united OPO in China.

Preliminary study on high throughput screening small molecules targeting Gram-negative bacilli outer membrane protein BamA / 中华检验医学杂志

Objective:High-throughput screening to obtain small molecular compounds against Gram-negative bacilli by targeting BamA outer membrane protein.Methods:The sybyl-X2.1 software was used to perform high-throughput virtual screening of small molecular compounds in Chemdiv compound library based on the molecular docking. The top 150 hits by high-throughput screening were re-screened through in vitro biological experiments. The top 4 small molecules with obvious antibacterial activity were selected for in-depth molecular docking analysis, and the small molecule 8308-0401 with the highest docking score was selected for further experiments. The antibacterial effect of 8308-0401 combined with rifampicin was tested by checkerboard assay. Finally, the affinity between 8308-0401 and BamA was tested by plasma surface resonance assay. Results:The docking score of the top 150 hits calculated by high-throughput virtual screening had a mean value of 5.63. In vitro biological experiments showed that small molecules 8308-0401, 8365-1335, C066-2507 and L582-0346 exhibited strong antibacterial activity. Among those molecules, 8308-0401 showed the highest molecular docking score, and synergistic antibacterial activity against both types of strains and clinical isolates when combined with rifampicin. 8308-0401 has a strong affinity to BamA with binding a constant of 182 μmol/L. Conclusion:The small molecule 8308-0401 exerts antibacterial activity against Gram negative bacilli by targeting the outer membrane protein BamA.

The diagnostic value of metagenomic next-generation sequencing in AIDS patients complicated with Pneumocystis jirovecii infection / 中华检验医学杂志

Objective:To investigate the diagnostic value of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) in AIDS patients complicated with Pneumocystis jirovecii ( P. jirovecii) infection. Methods:This is a retrospective study. From January 2019 to June 2021, the respiratory tract and other body fluid samples of 236 cases of AIDS co-infected patients diagnosed in the AIDS Department of Changsha First Hospital were collected, along with corresponding medical histories. Traditional etiological hexamine silver staining and serum 1,3-β-D glucan (BDG) were performed simultaneously with mNGS detection, and Fisher′s exact test was used to analyze the results and compare the diagnostic performances of mNGS with those of hexamine silver staining and serum G test.Results:A total of 236 cases of AIDS patients with pulmonary infection were collected and tested. Seventy-seven cases were clinically diagnosed with Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia and 159 cases with non- Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia. Among the 236 AIDS patients with pulmonary infection, mNGS detected 77 [32.63%(77/236)] positive cases of Pneumocystis jiroveci, while hexamine silver staining detected 10[4.24%(10/236)] and serum BDG detected 146 [61.86% (146/236). Based on these clinical diagnostic results, the sensitivity of mNGS detection was 100% (77/77) for the 77 patients with Pneumocystis pneumoniae, significantly higher than that of silver hexamine staining [12.99% (10/77), P=0.046] and serum BDG [58.44% (45/77), P=0.038]. The mNGS showed good specificity, which was the same as that of hexamine silver staining [100% (159/159)] and significantly higher than that of serum BDG [36.48% (58/159), P=0.026]. With therapeutic clinical diagnosis as the reference method, the accuracy of mNGS detection was 100% (236/236). Conclusions:This study evaluated the diagnostic value of mNGS detection in AIDS patients with Pneumocystis jirovecii infection. The results showed that the sensitivity and specificity of mNGS detection were high, and it had exceptional clinical application value in the pathogenic detection of infectious diseases.

Analysis of conversion rate, organ procurement rate and influencing factors of organ donation: a single-center study in Fujian province / 器官移植

Objective To investigate the conversion rate, organ procurement rate and influencing factors of organ donation in a single center from Fujian province. Methods Baseline data of 182 potential organ donors of Fujian Medical University Union Hospital from November 2018 to June 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The conversion rate of organ donation, baseline data of successful organ donors and the causes of failure of organ donors were identified. The organ procurement rate and the influencing factors of the number of organ donations were analyzed. Results Among 182 potential organ donors, 46 cases were successful organ donors with a conversion rate of 25.3%. In addition, 136 cases failed to donate organ. The main causes included disagreement from family members (58.1%), insufficient evaluation time (24.3%) and ineligible for donation criteria (17.6%). A total of 212 large organs and tissues were donated by 46 organ donors, including 88 kidneys, 42 livers, 15 lungs, 19 hearts and 48 corneas, with 4.6 large organs and tissues, and 3.6 large organs for each donor. Age, sex, native place, organ donation area and blood type were the influencing factors of the number of large organ donations. Organ donation area was the influencing factor of the number of tissue donations. Conclusions The conversion rate of organ donation is relatively low in a single center from Fujian province. Disagreement from family members is the main cause. Suitable potential organ donors should be selected for organ donation to improve the conversion rate and organ procurement rate of organ donation.

Perifosine inhibits biofilm formation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa by interacting with PqsE protein / 中华预防医学杂志

To explore the biofilm inhibitory efficacy of perifosine against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginos) and its mechanisms. Twenty-fourwell plate was used to form biofilms at the bottom and crystal violet staining was used to determine the biofilm inhibitory effects of perifosine against P. aeruginosa, the wells without perifosine was set as control group. Glass tubes combined with crystal violet staining was used to detect the gas-liqud interface related bioiflm inhibitory effects of perifosine, the wells without perifosine was set as control group. Time-growth curved was used to detect the effects of perifosine on the bacteial planktonic cells growth of P. aeruginosa, the wells without perifosine was set as control group. The interaction model between perifosine and PqsE was assessed by molecular docking assay. The inhibitory effects of perifosine on the catalytic activity of PqsE was determined by detection the production of thiols, the wells without perifosine was set as control group. Binding affinity between perifosine and PqsE was detected by plasma surface resonance. The biofims at the bottom of the microplates and air-liquid interface were effectively inhibited by perifosine at the concentration of 4-8 μg/ml. There was no influence of perifosine on the cells growth of P. aeruginosa. The resuts of molecular docking assay indicates that perifosine could interacted with PqsE with the docking score of -10.67 kcal/mol. Perifosine could inhibit the catalytic activity of PqsE in a dose-dependent manner. The binding affinity between perifosine and PqsE was comfirmed by plasma surface resonance with KD of 6.65×10-5mol/L. Perifosine could inhibited the biofilm formation of P. aeruginosa by interacting with PqsE.

Analysis of the laboratory detection methods and clinical characteristics in 2019-nCoV Omicron variants / 中华检验医学杂志

Objective:To analyze the laboratory detection methods and clinical characteristics of patients with 2019-nCoV Omicron variant infection, to realize the rapid identification and diagnosis of 2019-nCoV Omicron variants.Methods:Totally 80 overseas patients in First Hospital of Changsha from December 16 in 2021 to January 5 in 2022 were selected, the nucleic acids and mutant genes were detected by fluorescent PCR and genome sequencing, and the clinical characteristics of patients with 2019-nCoV Omicron variant infection were analyzed.Results:The specificity was 100% (58/58) and positive predictive value was 100% (21/21) respectively, the sensitivity was 95.5% (21/22), negative predictive value was 98.3% (58/59) by detected with fluorescent PCR. It was found that there were 45-50 nucleotide displacement sites in the genome and 25-30 amino acid mutation sites in S gene fragment by genome sequencing. Clinical analysis showed that mild cases were 59.1% (13/22) in layouts, without severe and critical cases. Ages were positively associated with the clinical classification (ρ=0.698, P<0.001), foundation infections were positively associated with the clinical classification (ρ=0.636, P<0.001). Conclusions:Patients with 2019-nCoV Omicron variant infection had a high viral load and long negative conversion time of nucleic acid. Ages and foundation infections were positively associated with the clinical classification. AST/ALT was higher in the early stage of the disease. Fluorescent PCR method can be used in rapid screening patients with 2019-nCoV Omicron variant infection.

Dosimetric comparison between conventional IMRT and EBCRT combined with IMRT for post-mastectomy left-sided breast cancer patients / 中华放射医学与防护杂志

Objective:To investigate the dosimetric differences between conventional IMRT and electron beam conformal radiotherapy (EBCRT) combined with IMRT for post-mastectomy left-sided breast cancer patients.Methods:A total of 20 post-mastectomy left-sided breast cancer patients who were treated in the Ningbo First Hospital from June 2018 to October 2021 were retrospectively studied. The planning target volume (PTV) included the supra-and infra-clavicular regions(PTV sc)and the ipsilateral chest wall (PTV cw), and the prescribed dose was 50 Gy/25 f. All radiotherapy plans were designed using the Varian Eclipse treatment planning system (TPS). After that, the dose distribution of the target volume and the dose exposure of organs at risk (OARs) were compared and analyzed. Results:All the IMRT plans met the clinical requirements, yet 2/20 of the EBCRT combined with IMRT plans were not clinically accepted. For these two patients, the maximum chest wall thickness was 3.7 cm and 4.4 cm each, and the designed electron beam energy was 12 MeV and 15 MeV, respectively. The dose to the ipsilateral lung of these two patients exceeded the institution-specific dose limit standard. For the remaining 18 patients whose chest wall thickness was 3 cm or less, the designed electron beams were 9 MeV or less. All the EBCRT combined with IMRT plans were clinically accepted. The target dose distribution of the conventional IMRT was better than that of the EBCRT combined with IMRT (uniformity index (HI): PTV sc: t = -10.20, P<0.05; PTV cw: t = -9.24, P<0.05; conformal index (CI): PTV all: t = 10.39, P <0.05). For OARs, the V5 Gy, V20 Gy, and Dmean of the ipsilateral lung of EBCRT combined with IMRT were lower than those of IMRT ( t = 5.98, 6.30, 11.30, P <0.05). Specifically, the V25 Gy and Dmean of heart decreased by 8.3% and 4.79 Gy, respectively ( t = 15.23, 15.76, P<0.05), the Dmean of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LADCA) decreased by 44.03% ( t = 11.69, P <0.05), and the V5 Gy and Dmean of the contralateral breast decreased by 7.9% and 0.8 Gy, respectively ( t = 3.66, 4.93, P<0.05). The dosimetric differences of other OARs were not statistically significant ( P > 0.05). Conclusions:For post-mastectomy left-sided breast cancer patients with a chest wall thickness of less than 3 cm, EBCRT combined IMRT can significantly reduce the exposure dose to the heart, the ipsilateral lung, and the contralateral breast, which is beneficial to reducing the potential risk of long-term complications after radiotherapy and can further improve the long-term overall survival rate of patients. For patients with thick chest wall, IMRT plans are more technologically ideal.

Fibula-preserving anterolateral approach for tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis: clinical and radiographic outcomes / 中华创伤骨科杂志

Objective:To evaluate the clinical and radiographic outcomes of tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis via the fibula-preserving anterolateral approach.Methods:From March 2018 to February 2021, 23 patients underwent tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis via the fibula-preserving anterolateral approach at the Department of Foot and Ankle Surgery, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital.Of them, 15 were males and 8 females. Their average age at surgery was 54.4 years (range, from 28 to 72 years). There were 11 cases of traumatic arthritis, 2 cases of Charcot arthropathy, 6 cases of neurogenic equinovarus, 2 cases of traumatic equinovarus, and 2 cases of Kashin-Beck disease. Comparisons were made between preoperation and the last follow-up in ankle-hindfoot score of American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS), visual analogue scale (VAS), foot function index (FFI), hindfoot alignment angle (HA), hindfoot alignment distance (HD), and hindfoot alignment ratio (HR). The tibia-foot angle on lateral weight-bearing and patient satisfaction at the last follow-up and postoperative complications were documented.Results:This cohort were followed up for an average of 24.7 months (from 12 to 48 months). The AOFAS ankle-hindfoot score (78.2 ± 9.2), VAS [2.0 (0.5, 2.0)], FFI [19.0 (10.5, 35.0)], HA (2.7° ± 5.8°), HD [(0.1 ± 0.8) cm] and HR [44.2 (36.4, 59.2)%] at the last follow-up were significantly improved than the preoperative values [43.4 ± 12.7, 4.0 (4.0, 6.0), 98.0 (60.0, 127.0), 22.0° ± 14.3°, (2.2 ± 1.6) cm and 86.0 (66.3, 100.0)%] (all P<0.05). The tibia-foot angle on lateral weight-bearing was 89.0° (87.1°, 90.4°) at the last follow-up. By the Likert scale, 17 cases were very satisfied with the surgery, 4 cases satisfied and 2 cases tolerate, giving a satisfaction rate of 91.3%(21/23). Infection occurred in one case and nonunion in one. Conclusion:Tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis via the fibula-preserving anterolateral approach yields good mid- to short-term clinical and radiographic outcomes, showing a strong capability to correct ankle and hindfoot varus and equinus.

Chronic isolated fracture of a metatarsal head in lesser toes treated with open reduction and internal fixation / 中华创伤骨科杂志

Objective:To report our clinical outcomes of open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) of chronic isolated fractures of a metatarsal head in the lesser toes.Methods:A retrospective consecutive case-series study was performed in 5 patients with symptomatic chronic isolated shear fracture of a metatarsal head in the lesser toes who had been treated from January 2018 to April 2021 at Department of Foot and Ankle Surgery, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital. There were 4 males and one female, with an average age of 26.2 years (from 19 to 36 years) at the time of injury. The fracture had been missed at the initial diagnosis in 2 of the patients. Their main symptom was limited dorsiflexion of the metatarsophalangeal joint (MTPJ). Preoperative X-rays and CT scans revealed dorsal displacement of the distal fragment without dislocation of the MTPJ. All patients were treated by ORIF. Their American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society-lesser metatarsophalangeal-interphalangeal (AOFAS-LMI) score, visual analog scale (VAS), and range of passive dorsiflexion of the MTPJ were compared between preoperation and the final follow-up. Postoperative complications were also recorded.Results:The 5 patients were followed up for an average of 27.8 months (from 6 to 45 months). All the chronic fractures achieved bony union. At the final follow-up, the average AOFAS-LMI score was 90.6 (from 82 to 100), the average VAS score 0 (from 0 to 2), and the average range of passive dorsiflexion of the MTPJ 40.0° (from 35° to 45°), all improved compared with the preoperative values [70.6 (from 59 to 79), 4 (from 2 to 5) and 10.0° (from 5.0° to 10.0°), respectively]. All the patients recovered their activity levels before injury. Three patients developed arthritis of the MTPJ.Conclusion:ORIF may achieve good short- and mid-term clinical outcomes in patients with chronic isolated shear fracture of a metatarsal head in the lesser toes.

Surgical treatment of chronic Lisfranc injuries: short- and mid-term clinical outcomes / 中华创伤骨科杂志

Objective:To explore the short- and mid-term clinical outcomes of surgical treatment of chronic Lisfranc injuries.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted of the clinical and imaging data of the 19 patients with chronic Lisfranc injury who had been treated surgically from April 2013 to September 2020 at Department of Foot and Ankle Surgery, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital. There were 13 males and 6 females, aged from 25 to 58 years (mean, 49 years). The median course of disease before operation was 24 months (from 3 to 312 months). All patients underwent fusion of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd tarsometatarsal joints (TMTJ) plus reduction and fixation or arthroplasty of the 4th and 5th TMTJ by the same surgeon. The clinical outcomes were evaluated by comparison of the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) midfoot score, visual analogue scale (VAS) and Lublin score between pre-operation and the final follow-up and by Likert satisfaction scale and post-operative complications as well.Results:The 19 patients were followed up for (66.1±23.2) months (from 12 to 104 months). At the final follow-up, the AOFAS midfoot score was 87 (79, 90), the VAS score 1 (0, 2), and the Lublin score 70 (60, 75), all significantly improved compared with their preoperative corresponding values [51 (44, 63), 4 (4, 6) and 50 (40, 55), respectively] ( P<0.05). Sixteen patients were satisfied with their surgery. Fusion was not healed in 3 cases; plate breakage happened in one case but none of the cases had infection or other complications related to the skin or wound. Conclusion:Fusion of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd TMTJ plus reduction and fixation or arthroplasty of the 4th and 5th TMTJ can lead to good short- and mid-term clinical outcomes in the surgical treatment of chronic Lisfranc injuries.

Specific blockade of muscle acetylcholine receptor by α-conotoxin MIA and MIB / 药学学报

The α-conotoxins are peptide toxins that are identified from the venom of marine cone snails and they hold outstanding potency on various subtypes of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). nAChRs have an important role in regulating transmitter release, cell excitability, and neuronal integration, so nAChR dysfunctions have been involved in a variety of severe pathologies. Four types of α-3/5 conotoxins MI, MIA, MIB and MIC have been found from Conus magus. Among them, the activity and selectivity of MIA and MIB have not been well studied. In this study, four α-3/5 conotoxins MI, MIA, MIB and MIC were synthesized by solid peptide synthesis method, and the bioactivities of them were screened by double electrode voltage clamp electrophysiology. The results showed that MIA and MIB selectively inhibited muscle type acetylcholine receptors with IC50 values of 14.45 and 72.78 nmol·L-1, respectively, which are slightly weaker than MI and MIC. Molecular docking results have shown MIA and MIB interact with muscle-type nAChRs with similar mechanism. The reasons for activity differences may relate to the size of the N-terminal amino acids. Together, the conotoxins MIA and MIB may have the potential to develop as a tool for detect the function of muscle type nAChRs, as well as the diagnosis or treat of related diseases.

Comparison of three fixed-field IMRT plans for nasal cavity and paranasal sinus tumors / 中华放射医学与防护杂志

Objective:To compare three fixed-field intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) plans for nasal cavity and paranasal sinus tumors, including the coplanar IMRT (C-IMRT) plan and the non-coplanar IMRT(NC-IMRT) plan which were based on a conventional C-arm LINAC (Trilogy), and the coplanar IMRT (H-IMRT) plan based on an O-ring LINAC (Halcyon).Methods:Based on the data of 10 patients in the Ningbo First Hospital from December 2018 to December 2021 with nasal cavity and paranasal sinus tumors who underwent postoperative radiotherapy, this study redesigned three IMRT plans with the same prescribed doses and optimization objectives. Then, this study compared the doses of target volumes and organ at risks(OARs), the validation pass rates, and the execution time of these plans. Friedman test was employed in this study, and multiple comparisons were further made in cases of different results.Results:The differences in the conformal index (CI) of PTV and PTV boost of the three plans were statistically significant ( χ2 = 7.51, 9.69, P < 0.05). The multiple comparisons showed that the median CI of the H-IMRT plan was higher than that of the NC-IMRT plan ( Z = 2.53, 2.68, P < 0.05). The differences in other parameters of target volumes were not statistically significant. Compared with the C-IMRT plan, the H-IMRT plan reduced the Dmax of bilateral lenses, bilateral corneas, ipsilateral optic nerve, and ipsilateral eyeball ( Z = 2.80, 2.80, 2.80, 2.80, 2.81, 2.09, P < 0.05). Compared with the C-IMRT plan, the NC-IMRT reduced the Dmax of bilateral lenses, corneas, and eyeballs and contralateral optic nerve ( Z = 2.80, 2.66, 2.80, 2.70, 2.29, 2.29, 2.65, P < 0.05) and reduced the Dmean of bilateral eyeballs ( Z = 2.80, 2.80, P < 0.05). Compared with the NC-IMRT plan, the H-IMRT plan reduced the Dmax of the ipsilateral lens and cornea ( Z = 2.50, 2.08, P < 0.05), but increased the Dmax of the contralateral optic nerve and the Dmean of bilateral eyeballs ( Z = 2.80, 2.80, 2.80, P < 0.05). The validation pass rate of the three plans met the institutional standards, and the differences were not statistically significant. Moreover, the H-IMRT plan had the shortest median execution time (172.00 s), followed by the C-IMRT plan (337.50 s), and the NC-IMRT plan (388.00 s). Conclusions:The verification pass rate of the three plans can achieve the requirements of treatment implementation. The three plans had similar dosimetric differences in target volumes. However, the H-IMRT and NC-IMRT plans can protect the normal tissues (especially optical organs) more effectively than the C-IMRT plan, which is conducive to reducing the toxicity after radiotherapy and provides space for local dose increase or the radiotherapy for the treatment of tumor recurrence. The execution efficiency of the three plans is in the order of H-IMRT > C-IMRT > NC-IMRT. It is necessary to select appropriate radiotherapy equipment and technology according to actual situations.

Explore functional brain changes in bipolar disorder: A whole brain ALE meta-analysis

ABSTRACT Background: Previous functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies showed inconsistent results for comparison between bipolar disorder (BD) and healthy controls (HC). Methods: An anatomic likelihood estimation (ALE) meta-analysis was used to explore the key regions of brain pathology in BD with different current mood states. Results: Depressed BD patients showed reduced regional homogeneity (ReHo) in the left claustrum and the left middle frontal gyrus (MFG), compared to HC. BD patients with mixed mood status showed decreased fractional amplitude of low frequency fluctuations (fALFF) in the right cerebellar tonsil, the bilateral MFG and the right superior frontal gyrus, compared to HC. Additionally, BD patients with mixed mood status showed increased fALFF in the right inferior occipital gyrus, the right culmen and the left lentiform nucleus, compared to HC. BD patients with mixed mood status showed decreased functional connectivity (FC) in the bilateral cerebellar tonsil, compared to HC. Conclusion: In the present study, key regions undergoing functional deficits in BD patients with different current mood states were obtained with the ALE meta-analysis. In addition, deficits in these regions in fMRI studies might work as biomarkers for early diagnosis of BD.

Antibacterial effects of small molecule antidiabetic agent Halicin against Staphylococcus aureus / 中华检验医学杂志

Objective:To investigate the effect of small molecule antibacterial agent Halicin against Staphylococcus aureus. Methods:The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration of Halicin against S. aureus were detected by the microbroth dilution method. The time-kill assay of Halicin against S. aureus was detected by agar plate dilution method. Micro checkerboard dilution method was used to determine the synergistic antibacterial activity between Halicin and conventional antibiotics. Crystal violet staining method was used to assess the biofilm inhibitory and eradicating activity of Halicin. Hemolysis rate was used to detect the mammal cell toxicity of Halicin. Through the mouse skin abscess model, take the skin tissue around the abscess to grind and dilute the colony to detect the antibacterial effect of Halicin in vivo. Results:Halicin showed significant bacteriostasis effects against S. aureus with the minimum inhibitory concentration of 2-4 mg/L. Halicin could significantly reduce the average CFU counts of S. aureus about 5.5×10 6 CFU/ml in a concentration-dependent manner after 8 h treatment at the concentration of 16 mg/L. The fractional inhibitory concentration value between Halicin and ampicillin was 0.5, showing a synergistic antibacterial efficacy. Halicin effectively inhibited the formation of biofilms at the concentration of 4 × MIC, reducing the total biofilm biomass ( A570) from (2.89±0.09) to (1.35±0.17) ( t=11.12, P<0.05). However, there was no eradication effect against preformed biofilms. In addition, Halicin had almost no hemolytic activity on red blood cells even at the concentration up to 128 mg/L. It showed that 20 mg/kg Halicin reduced bacterial burden about 3.0×10 7 CFU/ml in vivo. Conclusion:Halicin had a strong antimicrobial activity against S. aureus with no hemolytic activity.

Tolerance and dosimetric study of multi-leaf collimator leaf position accuracy for dynamic intensity-modulated radiotherapy / 中华放射肿瘤学杂志

Objective:To evaluate the dosimetric effect of multi-leaf collimator (MLC) position error on dynamic intensity-modulated radiotherapy (dMLC-IMRT), aiming to provide guidance for the establishment of MLC quality control accuracy and operation tolerance.Methods:In the phantom study, the virtual water phantom established in the treatment planning system (TPS), and three dynamic sliding window test fields with gap width of 5 mm, 10 mm and 20 mm were designed. Clinical treatment plans of 7 common tumor types were extracted, including nasopharyngeal carcinoma, glioma, lung cancer, esophageal cancer, cervical cancer, prostate cancer, and breast cancer, with 6 cases in each. MLC errors were introduced into the copy from original plan to generate the simulation plans. MLC errors included systematic open/close error, systematic deviation error and random error. The dosimetric differences between the original and simulation plans were compared.Results:The phantom study showed that the symbol of dose deviation was the same as that of systematic open/close error, and the value was increased with the increase of MLC error and decreased with the increase of gap width. The results of patient study showed that the systematic open/close error had a significant effect on dosimetry, the target volume dose sensitivities of different plans were 7.258-13.743%/mm, and were negatively correlated with the average field width. The dosimetric deviation caused by the systematic shift error below 2 mm was less than 2%. The dosimetric change caused by the random error below 2 mm could be neglected in clinical treatment.Conclusions:The minimal gap width should be limited in TPS, whereas the quality control of MLC should be strengthened. In addition, for the dynamic intensity-modulated treatment technology, 2 mm random error was suggested to be the operation tolerance during treatment delivery, and 0.2 mm alignment accuracy on each side (or 0.4 mm unilateral) is recommended to be the MLC quality control accuracy to ensure the dose accuracy of radiotherapy for different tumors.

The value of neutrophil CD64 index in the diagnosis of patients with sepsis in intensive care unit / 中华危重病急救医学

Objective:To investigate the diagnostic value of neutrophil CD64 index in sepsis patients in intensive care unit (ICU).Methods:A prospective case-control study was conducted, the patients admitted to ICU of Jiangbei People's Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University from December 2016 to June 2020 were enrolled. According to the criteria of Sepsis 3, 107 patients diagnosed with sepsis were classified as the sepsis group, 112 patients without infection were classified as control group. Peripheral venous blood samples were collected within 24 hours after ICU admission, neutrophil CD64 index, C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), white blood cell count (WBC) were detected. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC curve) was used to evaluate the diagnostic value of neutrophil CD64 index, CRP, PCT and WBC for sepsis.Results:The neutrophil CD64 index, CRP and PCT in sepsis group were significantly higher than those in control group [neutrophil CD64 index: 9.03±5.59 vs. 3.18±1.50, CRP (mg/L): 146.9±68.3 vs. 46.5±35.8, PCT (ng/L): 31.82±14.71 vs. 1.87±1.42, all P < 0.05]. ROC curve analysis showed that neutrophil CD64 index, CRP and PCT had certain diagnostic value for sepsis, the area under ROC curve (AUC) were 0.924, 0.915 and 0.879, respectively, the 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were 0.871-0.978, 0.855-0.975, 0.807-0.951, respectively, P values were 0.016, 0.017 and 0.026, respectively. Among the three indicators, the diagnostic value of neutrophil CD64 index was much higher. When the optimal cut-off value was 4.32, the sensitivity and specificity were 83.6% and 88.7%, respectively, which were higher than the sensitivity (75.1%, 76.3%) and specificity (87.2%, 82.5%) of CRP and PCT. Conclusion:Neutrophil CD64 index is a valuable biomarker for the diagnosis of sepsis in ICU.